Tube holding device for reeling in textile machines



March 22, 1966 ouR s 3,241,778

TUBE HOLDING DEVICE FOR REELING IN TEXTILE MACHINES Filed Oct. 9, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 22, 1966 BQURGEAS 3,241,778

TUBE HOLDING DEVICE FOR REELING IN TEXTILE MACHINES Filed 001?. 9, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 //7 1/ nfar United States Patent 3,241,778 TUBE HQLDING DEVECE FOR REELHNG 1N TEXTILE MAtCHlNES Pierre Bourgeas, 110 Ave. Maurice Faure, Valence, France Filed Oct. 9, 1963, Ser. No. 314,983 laims priority, application Luxembourg, Nov. 28, 1962,

a claims. ci. 242-18) The present invention is concerned with rocker-arm tube-holding devices for winding, twisting, uptwisting, or the like, in a textile machine fitted with a rotary driving roll so designed that the tube and the package under-going formation are driven by said roll, as a result of friction produced by the pressure with which said tube is applied against said roll, under the action of a torque motor, said motor being fitted with a pinion gear in mesh with a toothed sector which is coaxial with the pivotal axis of the tu be-holding rocker-arms.

The purpose of the invention is to produce a tube-holding device of the type referred-to above, of very simple and compact constructional design, the sensitive components of which are well protected against dust.

To this end, and in accordance with the present invention, said rocker-arms pivot on a support constituted by a closed casing in which are housed both members constituted by the torque motor and the toothed sector, one of said members being operatively connected to said rocker-arms, whilst the other is secured to said support.

In one form of embodiment, the toothed sector is integral with the tube-holding rocker-arms whilst the torque motor is integral with the casing.

In one form of construction, the casing also contains a System for controlling the supply of electric current to the torque motor.

It accordingly becomes possible not only to give the strict value required to the pressure of the package against the driving roll but also to modulate the value of the force which generates this pressure according to any desired law, either according to a law which is predetermined as a function of a carefully established program or in a variable manner as a function of different parameters such as, for example, the diameter of the package which is in process of formation and the nature of the yarn or thread which is being wound.

It is also possible to adjust from a remote location the pressure of each tube of a complete set of tubes which is mounted on a same winding machine, in view of the ease with which the supply voltage of all the corresponding torque motors can be controlled.

Instantaneous withdrawal of the tube relatively to the driving roll can also very readily be effected by a suitable supply of current to the torque motor which is energized in the direction which produces said withdrawal, either following completion of the winding operation, or in response to a break occurring in the yarn, under the control, for example, of any suitable yarn stop-motion device fitted with an electric contact for controlling the supply to the corresponding torque motor.

In a particular constructional arrangement, the system for controlling the supply of electric current to the torque motor comprises a potentiometer having a rotary contact operatively connected to a pinion gear in mesh with a toothed sector is also made integral with the tube-holding rocker-arms.

It is thus possible in a convenient manner to c ntrol the torque produced by the electric motor in dependence on the size of the package undergoing formation in such manner that to each position of the tube support there corresponds a well-determined postion of the sliding contact of the control potentiometer and consequently a corresponding voltage supplied to the motor and a torque of desired value which is suitable for ensuring the appropriate corresponding value of the pressure applied by the package against the driving roll at each moment.

The invention is further directed to twisting frames, winding frames, uptwisting frames or the like which comprise a tube-holding device as heretofore defined.

The invention will be more clearly understood from a perusal of the following description and from a study of the accompanying drawings which show by way of nonlimitative example one form of embodiment of the invention.

In these drawings:

FIG. 1 represents in cross-section taken along the broken line I-I of FIG. 2 the combined assembly of a winding tube-holding device.

FIG. 2 is a view in profile corresponding to FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a partial cross-section taken along the line IIIIII of FIG. 1.

The cardboard tube 1 on which it is desired to wind a thread 2 for the purpose of forming a package 3 is supported at the two extremities thereof by two rotary members 4, 5 of suitable shape (having a spherical surface in the example) which are mounted to rotate freely on two spindles or pivot-pins 6, 7 which are in turn mounted in the line of extension of each other in the extremities of two arms 8, 9 respectively of a yoke-shaped holding means which is generally designated by the reference 11.

The two arms 8, 9 of the yoke or holding means 11 are carried by a transverse member 13, the arm 8 forming one piece with said member whilst the other arm 9 is pivotally coupled to this latter by means of a pin 14 at right angles to the common geometrical axis of the two pivot-pins 6 and 7 which support the cardboard tube. The arm 9 is urged to pivot about its pin 14 towards the interior under the action of a coil spring 15, one end of which is applied against the bottom of a recess 16 which is formed inside the transverse member 13 of the yoke whilst the other end of said spring is applied against a plunger 17 which is in contact with an extension of the arm 9.

The moving arm 9 can be moved away from the stationary arm 8 by means of a handle 19 which is rigidly fixed to the arm 9 for the positioning and removal of the cardboard tubes.

Th pivot-pin 6 is held in position inside the arm 8 by means of a clamping screw 21 and, in a similar manner, the pivot-pin 7 is held in position in the arm 9 by the threaded end of the handle 19 which is screwed into said arm.

The two members 4 and 5 which are designed to support the cardboard tube and which are mounted to rotate freely about their pivot-pins are retained axially on these latter by means of flexible snap-rings as indicated at 23, 24, which co-operate with grooves 25, 26 which are formed in the corresponding pins.

Between the rotary support members 4 and 5 and the corresponding internal faces of the two arms 8 and 9 of the yoke are interposed friction washers 28, 29 which are made of any suitable material.

The holding means 11 as a whole is supported for angular movement by two cone-point pins 31, 32 which are located on a same geometrical axis parallel to the common axis of the support members 4, 5 of the cardboard tube and which are in turn supported by a supporting means generally indicated by reference numeral 33 and secured by means of screws 34 against the underface of a longitudinal U-section girder which extends along the entire length of the winding frame on which are mounted one or a number of similar rows of yokes.

The supporting means 33 as a whole is constituted by a casing body 36 having partly the general shape of a cylindrical tube whose axis is parallel to the common geometrical axis of the two cone-point pins 31 and 32 from which the yoke is suspended, said body being formed at one end thereof by a double bottom constituted by two end-plates 38, 39 which are secured to the body 36 by means of screws 41, said two end-plates 38, 39 being maintained at a certain distance away from each other by means of spacer legs 42 having boxes for screws 41.

Similarly, the other end of the cylindrical body 36 is formed by a double bottom constituted by two end-plates 44, 45 secured by screws 46 and maintained at a certain distance from each other by means of spacer lugs 47 inwardly projecting from the tubular body 36 as shown in FIG. 2

Within the space formed between the two end-plates 44, 45, there is housed a toothed sector 51, the hub 51a of which is fitted freely over the cylindrical body of the cone-point pin 32 which supports the yoke.

There is interposed between the cone-point pin 32 and the corresponding bore 53 of the transverse portion 13, a cylindrical clamping bushing 54 which serves both for the purpose of locking the cone-point pin 32 with respect to the yoke and for the purpose of rigidly fixing the toothed sector 51 in rotational motion relatively to said yoke. The bushing is provided with a dog 55 which projects from the inner end face of said bushing and which is engaged in a corresponding diametrical groove 56 formed in the outer end face of the hub 51a of the toothed sector 51.

The bushing 54 has a longitudinal slot and clamped to member 13 by means of a system which comprises two tubular wedges 58, 59 fitted inside a bore 61 of the yoke which is at right angles to the bore 53 and secant relatively to this latter. The two wedges 58, 59 are of generally cylindrical shape and have two inclined flattened portions 58a, 59a respectively in contact with the external cylindrical surface of the bushing 54 in the vicinity of the slot 54a of this latter. A locking screw 62 passes freely through the wedge 59, which is pierced for this purpose with a corresponding smooth bore, and is screwed into the wedge 58 which is suitably tapped.

When the screw 62 is tightened, the two wedges 58, 59 are drawn towards each other, with the result that the bushing 54 is tightened against the cone-point pin 32, thereby producing on the one hand the rigid locking in position of the cone-point pin 32 inside the bushing 54 and, on the other hand, the immobilization of the bushing 54 relatively to the yoke. As a consequence, the conepoint pin 32 is fixed to the yoke while at the same time, the toothed sector 51 which is rigidly fixed for rotation relatively to the bushing by means of the clamping dog system 55 and confined axially between the bushing 54 and the internal end-plate 45 of the casing is also fixed to the yoke.

This very simple system makes it possible to regulate at the same time the axial position of the cone-point pin 32 relatively to the yoke and the angular position of the toothed sector 51 relatively to said yoke.

The toothed sector 51 is engaged with a toothed pinion 64 which is mounted on the output shaft of the reductiongear unit 65 of an electric motor 66 of the type known as a torque motor having two directions of rotation. The reduction-gear unit 65 is integral with the motor 66 and is secured to the internal face of the end-plate 45 by means of screws 67.

The entire holding means 11 assembly is capable of angular displacement about the horizontal geometrical axis of the two suspension pins 31, 32 from a position lla in a cardboard cylinder 1 which on members 4, is pressed against a driving roll 68 carried on a longitudinal horizontal shaft 69 of the winding frame and driven in rotation by any suitable conventional means, to a position 11b in which the corresponding end of the toothed 4 sector 51 abuts against the internal face of the cylindrical wall of the body 36.

There has been shown at 71 a yarn guide which is carried by a longitudinal rod 72 to which is imparted a back-and-forth motion and which also forms part of the winding frame. The yarn 2 to be wound first passes through a stationary eyelet 74 before passing through said yarn guide 71.

The electric motor 66 is supplied from any suitable current source through the intermediary of a control system which consists, in the example shown, of a potentiometer 76 and shaft 77 which actuates the sliding contact and carries a pinion gear 78 which is in mesh with a toothed sector 79. Said toothed sector 79 is similar to the toothed sector 51 and is made fast for rotation with holding means 11 by a coupling which comprises a dog 80 forming part of a clamping bushing 81 and engaged in a recess 82 of the hub 79a of said sector. The bushing 81 is fixed on member 13 by a system of wedges which are locked in position by means of a screw 83.

The operation of the apparatus as a whole is as follows:

In the arrangement which has been illustrated, holding means 11 is already acted upon by gravity and consequently has a tendency under the action of its own weight to press the cardboard tube 1 against the driving roll 68.

The torque motor 66 is so dimensioned and the current supplied thereto so regulated, especially by the potentiometer 76, that the tube 1 is applied against the driving roll 68 with a desired and suitably selected pressure. In other words, if the weight of the yoke is not sufiicient to produce the desired pressure, the current supplied to the electric motor is given the direction of polarity which is necessary in order to ensure that said pressure is applied as a result of the torque produced by said motor through the reduction-gear unit and through the pinion gear 64 which is in mesh with the toothed sector 51.

It is apparent that if, on the contrary, the weight of the yoke were already too great, the electric motor could be supplied with current in the reverse direction so that the torque produced by the motor is reversed and subtracted from the action of gravity on the yoke and on the portion of bobbin which is in process of formation.

Progressively as the size of the reel 3 increases, the yoke 11 moves away from the driving roll 68, with the result that the toothed sector 79 causes the rotation of the pinion gear 78 with which said sector is engaged, thereby initiating the operation of the potentiometer 76. Provided that said potentiometer is suitably calibrated and designed, steps can be taken to ensure that, taking into account the increase in the action of gravity on the weight of the yoke and on the increasing weight of the package, the pressure with which said package is applied against the driving roll 68 is maintained at any moment at the desired value, for example at a value which is constant from commencement to completion of the winding operation, this being achieved by means of a continuous regulation of the torque produced by the electric motor 66 under the control of the potentiometer 76.

When the Winding operation is compelted, the torque motor can be supplied with current in the direction which immediately produces the full upward movement of the yoke towards the top disengagement position 11d.

The combined assembly can also be fitted with a stop motion device of any suitable conventional type which operates an electric contact designed to supply current to the motor under conditions which also initiate the full upward movement of the yoke.

By means of a system of this type, it is possible to regulate at each moment the pressure of the cardboard tube and consequently of the package against the driving roll 68, this being performed by remote control and in the case of all the units of a same machine at the same time, if the supply and control circuits of all the torque are connected to a common control element.

Torque motor 66, which is reversible as aforesaid, is

shown in FIG. 1 for illustrative purposes as having a pair of sections M and M1 respectively, with the former for rotation in a direction which causes raising of the yoke 11 and the latter for rotation in a direction opposite thereto.

Portion M is energized from the supply AD through a two-way switch H and through a pole BF of a two pole switch G. Switch H is a time delay operated switch having a rest position on terminal A1 so that upon being energized it swing-s from rest position A1 to work position B only after a predetermined time has elapsed. A [feeler member T is operatively connected to switch G and has a portion bearing against the thread 2 to be wound on the core 1. The feeler arrangement T is such that when the thread 2 is slack or broken, switch G will be placed in position FB while when the thread is taut switch G Will be in the position shown by the dashed line.

The section M1 of motor 66 is energiza'ble either directly from the mains AD through switch H, terminal A1, and switch AlE, or through the other supply lines CD, of adjusted voltage according to the working conditions required, through variable resistor 76 and switch 01E.

Operation of the electric circuitry is as follows:

At initial starting of the apparatus, the thread 2 is, of course, slack and switch G assumes the position shown in full lines. After the supply lines AD are energized the switch H remains in the rest position A1 for the aforesaid predetermined delay time threreof as a result of which the section M1 of motor 66 is enabled to be fully energized through the supply lines AD, switch HA1, and switch AlE. The yoke 11 which initially was in its raised position, is, therefore, lowered by the aforesaid actuation of motor section M1.

As soon as the device speeds up, the thread 2 becomes taut and switch G is moved by the feeler member T to the dashed line position thereof, whereupon the motor section M1 becomes energized from the regulated voltage supply CD through variable resistor 76, and switch 0113. The latter is the norm-a1 winding position. Meanwhile, however, the response time of the time delay switch H has been exceeded and switch H has moved to position HB indicated in dashed lines.

In the event of failure in the thread winding procedure, for example, insufficient tension is maintained in the thread or there is a thread breakage, the feeler member T will respond by moving switch G to the position thereof shown in full lines whereby switch contact E01 moves to its position EA]; and switch contact F moves to position FB, thus energizing the section M of motor 66 by connecting the same across the supply lines AD through the switch H which is now in its B position. As a result the direction of rotation is reversed and the yoke 11 is raised.

In a frame having a large number of similar yoke arrangements, all of these may be con-trolled simultaneously and remotely from the common supply means and the conditions of operation may be altered at will, by adjusting the voltage of the mains CD.

It is possible to take into account all the parameters which can be contemplated with a view to carrying out a winding operation under the best possible conditions, for example the nature of the yarn, the density thereof, the nature of the surfaces in contact, etc. and, for example, to regulate the pressure automatically to a constant optimum value as a result of a suitable control of the circuit supplying current to the motor in dependence on all the parameters which are contemplated.

A range of modulation both of the direction and intensity of the current supplying the torque motor can also be pre-established by means of a program which is also established in advance as a function of the results to be obtained.

The device further permits of remote checking of the angular position of the yoke, that is to say of the stage reached by the winding operation in progress, by means of remote transmission of the position of the toothed sector which can if necessary be provided, for example, with a sliding contact which is adapted to move over a series of contact-studs connected to a suitable signalling system or alternatively to a continuous variation indicator, the pointer of which would reproduce the angular position of the yoke.

It will be understood that the invention is not limited to the form of embodiment which has been described and illustrated and that a large number of modifications can be made therein wtihout consequently departing from the scope of this invention.

What I claim is:

1. An apparatus for forming a yarn package on a tube, com-prising in combination, supporting means including a casing; holding means mounted on said supporting means for angular movement about an axis and adapted to support a tube for rotation; drive roll means for rotating the tube with a yarn package being formed thereon whereby said holding means turns about said axis as said yarn package grows; a torque motor mounted in said casing and enveloped thereby, said motor operatively connected with said holding means for applying to the same a torque acting about said axis; and regulating means for said torque motor having an adjustable means operatively connected with said holding means and controlled by the same in accordance with the angular displacement of said holding means by said yarn package about said axis for maintaining a selected pressure between said drive roll means and said package irrespective of the increasing size and weight of said yarn package.

2. An apparatus for forming a yarn package on a tube, comprising in combination, supporting means including a casing; holding means mounted on said supportig means for angular movement about an axis and adapted to support a tube for rotation; drive roll means for rotating a tube with a yarn package being formed thereon whereby said holding mean-s turns about said axis as said yarn package grows; a torque motor mounted in said casing and operatively connected with said holding means for applying to the same a torque acting about said axis; and regulating means for said torque motor mounted in said casing and having an adjustable means operatively connected with said holding means and controlled by the same in accordance with the angular displacement of said holding means by said yarn package about said axis for maintaining a selected pressure between said drive roll means and said package irrespective of the increasing size and weight of said yarn package.

3. An apparatus for forming a yarn package on a tube, comp-rising in combination, supporting means including 'a casing; holding means mounted on said supporting means for angular movement about an axis and adapted to support a tube for rotation; drive roll means for rotating a tube with a yarn package being formed thereon whereby said holding means turns about said axis as said yarn package grows; an electric torque motor mounted in said casing and operatively connected with said holding means for applying to the same a torque acting about said axis; and regulating means for increasing, reducin and reversing the torque of the same, said regulating means including an adjustable potentiometer arranged in the circuit of said electric motor and controlled by the same in accordance with the angular displacement of said holding means by said yarn package about said axis for maintaining a selected pressure between said drive roll means and said package irrespective of the increasing size and weight of said yarn package.

4. An apparatus for forming a yarn package on a tube, comprising in combination, supporting means; holding means mounted on said supporting means for angular movement about an axis and adapted to support a tube for rotation; drive roll means for rotating a tube with a yarn package being formed thereon whereby said holding means turns about said axis as said yarn package grows; an electric torque motor operatively connected with said holding means for applying to the same a torque acting about said axis; and regulating means including an adjustable potentiometer connected into the circuit of said electric motor for increasing, reducing, and reversing the torque of the same and connected with said holding means for turning movement about said axis and controlled .by said holding means in accordance with the angular displacement of said holding means by said yarn package about said axis for maintaining a selected pressure between said drive roll means and said package irrespective of the increasing size and weight of said yarn package.

5. An apparatus for forming a yarn package on a tube, comprising in combination, supporting means; holding means mounted on said supporting means for angular movement about an axis and adapted to support a tube for rotation; drive r-oll means for rotating a tube with a yarn package being formed thereon whereby said holding means turns about said axis as said yarn package grows; an electric torque motor mounted on one of said means; transmission means for connecting said torque motor with said holding means for applying to the same a torque acting about said axis; and regulating means for said torque motor operatively connected with said holding means and controlled by the same in accordance with the angular displacement of said holding means by said yarn package about said axis for maintaining a selected pressure between said drive roll means and said package irrespective of the increasing size and weight of said yarn package, said regulating means including a potentiometer adapted to increase, reduce, and reverse the current flowing through said torque motor.

6. An apparatus as set forth in claim wherein said transmission means include a pinion driven by said motor, and a gear sector meshing with said pinion, said gear sector being secured to said holding means for angular movement therewith and coaxial with the same; and said torque motor being mounted on said supporting means.

7. An apparatus as set forth in claim '5 wherein said supporting means includes a casing enveloping said electric torque motor and said potentiometer.

8. An apparatus as set forth in claim 7 wherein said casing is of generally tubular shape and has at the ends thereof double walls, each double wall forming a cavity, and wherein said transmission means is located in one of said cavities; and including another transmission means located in the other cavity and connecting said holding means with said adjustable means of said regulating means.

9. An apparatus as set forth in claim 8 wherein said other transmission means includes a pinion connected to said adjustable means, and a gear sector secured to said holding means for angular movement and meshing with said last mentioned pinion.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,023,681 12/1935 Hall 242-- 2,150,951 3/1939 Toole et a1. 24-218 2,194,078 3/1940 Simonds 24265 2,572,904- 10/1951 Bauer 24218 X 2,811,317 10/1957 Herbert et a1 242-48 FOREIGN PATENTS 848,475 9/ 1952 Germany. 348,344 9/ 1960 Switzerland.

STANLEY N. GILREATH, Primary Examiner,

M-ERVIN STEIN, Examiner. 

1. AN APPARATUS FOR FORMING A YARN PACKAGE ON A TUBE, COMPRISING IN COMBINATION, SUPPORTING MEANS INCLUDING A CASING; HOLDING MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID SUPPORTING MEANS FOR ANGULAR MOVEMENT ABOUT AN AXIS AND ADAPTED TO SUPPORT A TUBE FOR ROTATION; DRIVE ROLL MEANS FOR ROTATING THE TUBE WITH A YARN PACKAGE BEING FORMED THEREON WHEREBY SAID HOLDING MEANS TURNS ABOUT SAID AXIS AS SAID YARN PACKAGE GROWS, A TORQUE MOTOR MOUNTED IN SAID CASING AND ENVELOPED THEREBY, SAID MOTOR OPERATIVELY CONNECTED WITH SAID HOLDING MEANS FOR APPLYING TO THE SAME A TORQUE ACTING ABOUT SAID AXIS; AND REGULATING MEANS FOR SAID TORQUE MOTOR HAVING AN ADJUSTABLE MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED WITH SAID HOLDING MEANS AND CONTROLLED BY THE SAME IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE ANGULAR DISPLACEMENT OF SAID HOLDING MEANS BY SAID YARN PACKAGE ABOUT SAID AXIS FOR MAINTAINING A SELECTED PRESSURE BETWEEN SAID DRIVE ROLL MEANS AND SAID PACKAGE IRRESPECTIVE OF THE INCREASING SIZE AND WEIGHT OF SAID YARN PACKAGE. 